The new analysis shows that matching a low -level diet with eating habits reduces cardiovascular risk by more than 14%, with the biggest victories for women and black adults with high blood pressure.
Study: Reduction of dietary sodium reduces 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk ratings: DASH-SODIUM test results. Credit Picture: New Africa / Shutterstock
In a recent article published in American Journal of Prevents CardiologyResearchers used data collected in the United States to explore how sodium reduction in diet, either individually or by following dietary approaches to stop diet of hypertension (DASH), affects the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
Their findings show that compliance with dietary patterns and reduction in sodium diet have reduced the risk of ASCVD independently, with the greatest benefits observed when the two interventions were combined.
Background
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading world of mortality, but over half of cases are linked to modified lifestyle factors such as physical activity and nutrition. In all the US, unhealthy dietary habits, especially excessive sodium intake, which exceed more than 90% of American adults, contribute significantly to poor cardiovascular health.
The DASH diet, which is approved by national recommendations, encourages the intake of low fat, cereals, vegetables and fruits, while reducing the consumption of added sugars, cholesterol and saturated fat. It has been associated with a lower CVD impact, reduced heart damage and a reduced risk of 10 years of ASCV.
While a previous test called Dash-Sodium showed that both the diet and the decrease in sodium were effective in improving blood pressure, their effects on the long-term risk of ASCVD were not analyzed.
For the study
In this study, the researchers conducted a secondary analysis using data collected during the Dash-Sodium plan to evaluate whether sodium intake reduction alone or in parallel with the DASH diet could reduce the risk of ASCVD over ten years.
Researchers assume that the decrease in sodium consumption would reduce the risk and that its combination with dietary approaches would have an additional effect.
The Dash-Sodium project was a randomized, multicenter power study conducted between 1997 and 1999 in four US clinical sites. They are adults with increased blood pressure that was at least 22 years of age, while excluding those with insulin -dependent diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, inadequately controlled dyslipidemia, excessive alcohol intake or antihypertensive drugs. Participants were randomized to follow the Dash diet or an average American diet for 12 weeks. Each participant consumed three levels of sodium – high, ie 1.6 mg of sodium for each Kilocalorie consumed (about 3,500 mg/day for a diet of 2,000 kcal), medium (1.1 mg per kiloscopic, approximately 2,400 mg/day) or low (0.5 mg per pilloscopic, approximately 1,150 mg/day). Each sodium level was consumed for about 30 days, with periods of riding in the meantime.
The study provided all meals, ensuring consistent intake of nutrients. The highest sodium intake represented the standard American consumption, while the limit of guidelines corresponding to the medium and the lower level were below the recommended intake.
The primary result was the ASCVD risk rating over ten years, calculated using the PCE equation (PCE). Static risk factors such as age and smoking were measured at the start, while dynamic variables such as blood pressure and cholesterol were measured after each diet.
Blood samples and blood pressure readings were collected using standard methods. The data was analyzed using mixed results models, representing repetitive measures. Sensitivity analyzes concerned participants outside PCE’s valid range, attributing or excluding prices out of range. Stratigated analyzes evaluated the results by age, gender, race, state of hypertension, obesity and smoking.
It is important to note that each sodium intervention period lasted only 30 days. While this allowed the controlled measurement of short -term changes in ASCVD risk ratings, it does not provide evidence of the long -term impact of prolonged dietary changes.
Findings
Between 390 participants, the key features were similar between the Eating and Paul. The DASH diet has led to a greater reduction in estimated ASCVD risk over ten years compared to the control diet, with absolute difference of -0.12% and a relative difference of -5.33%.
Sodium reduction further reduced the risk of ASCVD, with low sodium intake showing a greater reduction in risk than intake of medium or high sodium intake. The combined DASH diet and low sodium intake resulted in a greater reduction in the risk of ASCVD, with absolute difference of -0.35% and a relative difference of -14.09% compared to the control diet, which was high in sodium.
Strataized analysis showed stronger effects of sodium reduction in women, black adults and those with stage 2 hypertension, while no significant differences from age, obesity or smoking condition were observed. Sensitivity analyzes supported these findings.
The study also noted that the race was divided as black against non -black, so the effects could not be determined among other minoroid groups.
Conclusions
The Dash diet significantly reduced the estimated 10 -year ASCD risk compared to a typical American diet. Sodium reduction further reduced the risk, especially when combined with the Dash diet, with greater benefits between women, black adults and those with stage 2 hypertension.
These results are aligned with previous elements that support the dash and the reduction of sodium for cardiovascular health. However, no long -term randomized tests have confirmed the effect of DASH on actual CVD events, as most elements are based on risk factor and a reduction in risk ratings, not on immediate clinical results. The optimum level of sodium intake remains also discussed.
However, even moderate sodium reductions have emerged beneficial, enhancing public health efforts to reduce sodium intake. The authors note that the criteria for excluding the study (such as people with existing heart disease, diabetes or those in antihypertensive drugs) and relatively short intervention periods may limit the generality of the findings. Future research should focus on the long -term results, include a wider range of participants and further improve sodium intake guidelines.
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